She Spoke {SMALL SPACE} Style

Raise your hand if you're a control-freak like me. No shame here, girlfriend. We all feel safer when we know we can control the outcome of a situation. Unfortunately, that's not always the case with our homes. Sometimes we are stuck with small kitchens, bedrooms, hallways, or weird nooks under the stairs. Maybe its that this home is just temporary while we save money. Maybe its just tough to get real estate in your neck of the woods. Maybe its just that the architect fell asleep drawing your home plan and his apprentice sketched in some weird nook off the foyer. Whatever the case, decorating a small space to have style can be a challenge. Luckily for you, I've put together my top Do's and Don'ts for adding BIG Style in a Small Space! Let's talk small space style -

What modern design style are you? Take the Quiz and Find your Look today!

10 Do's and Don'ts When Decorating a Small Space

1. Do know your space

Before you add style to your small space, it's important to know what your space is going to be used for and what furniture it will need. AKA decorating a small bedroom will require at minimum a place to sleep and maybe some storage for clothes. So don't go buy that chaise lounge because it looks good and you'd really like a reading nook. In reality, you're sacrificing much-needed storage and your chaise is just going to end up covered in clothes all the time.

Know what furniture takes priority to meet the needs of the space first. Then add in style around it.

2. Don't be afraid to put furniture in front of a window

Sometimes you only have the space you have. So if you have to put a bed or sofa in front of a window, do it! It can actually create a strong focal point for your small space which gives you major style points. The typical rule of thumb when adding furniture to a small space like a living room or bedroom is to put the bed or sofa against the longest wall.

3. Do use solid colors

I'm all about using pattern and color to add some personality to your space. But when decorating a small room, pattern can very quickly overwhelm and agitate the eye. So if you are going to use color, make it solid color on your wall. Add in pattern in smaller splashes in your textiles and decor. Take special consideration when you are decorating a small bedroom not to add too much pattern that you can't rest and decompress at night.

Learn to use color to make an impact in your home with my 5 Cardinal Color Rules!

4. Don't forget the white trim

The general rule of thumb when decorating a small space is to stay away from darker colors. They will make your walls close in and leave your room feeling even smaller! If you do use a bright or dark color, pair it with white trim - aka a chair rail, base board, or crown molding. This will help break up the intense colors and visually open up your space.

5. Do create an entryway

A lot of homes skip the entryway. Whether it was a style choice or maybe to save on square footage, a lot of older homes open the front door right into a family room, living room or kitchen space. Even in an apartment or condo it can be hard to delineate an entryway area when you walk into an open concept floor plan. I still advocate though for creating an entryway. You can set the area by your front door apart by adding a small rug, umbrella stand or console table if it will fit. Remember to use your vertical space in a small entryway and add hooks for coats and keys.

6. Don't overdress your windows

Most people under-dress their windows by forgetting curtains or blinds. However, to get style in a small space, I recommend leaving out the large draperies. Opt for simple blinds or shades. Curtains are often big and billowy. They advance into a small space and can make it feel even more crowded especially when smushed behind furniture. Keep your windows clean by not over-dressing them with large curtains. Wood blinds or a roll-down shade are a better option when decorating a small space.

7. Do add in multiple lighting sources

That one overhead light in your tiny apartment or bedroom isn't doing you any favors. Even though your space is small and may not need additional lighting, try to layer in different types of lighting. You typically want a light that provides general lighting, a lamp that provides task lighting, and something that is decorative just to set the mood. Think about one overhead light or chandelier for general lighting, a table or floor lamp for task lighting, and then a wall sconce or picture light for decorative lighting.

8. Don't ignore vertical space

The number one area people don't take advantage of when decorating a small space is their vertical wall space. Walls are just as much a surface as the floor is. So add floating shelves, hanging plants, and whatever else you can get up off the floor! It might take a little creative thinking but necessity might drive you to a unique and beautiful solution for your small space!

9. Do use leggy, open or see-through furniture pieces

Furniture, surprisingly, can make your room feel fuller/heavier or lighter and more open. The secret is to opt for furniture pieces in your small space that have less detail and ornamentation. Choose a table with legs rather than a solid unit with three drawers. Select a coffee table that is all see-through acrylic or maybe a dining table with a glass top. The openness and ability to see through and under these pieces will help your room feel larger and lighter.

10. Don't say no to a Kitchen Island

Just because you have a small kitchen doesn't mean you have to forego the island. There are a lot of inexpensive items that you can recreate into a Kitchen island or storage area. Look for bar carts, rolling carts or old desks to DIY into a Kitchen island. My husband and I revamped an old desk into our Kitchen Island and it added major style and color to our rental Kitchen! You can see it here in my Before & After Kitchen Makeover >

So there you have it - my top ten do's and don't for decorating a small space with BIG style. What rule have you been breaking? And what rule do you hope to incorporate into your space to get more style?! Tell me in the comments below.

If you need help designing or decorating your small space, I'd love to help you out with an E-Design! Let’s chat about an E-Design project and how it can help solve your small space needs.